Just a Necklace
by I bashed Voldie's head
Summary: Zuko falls into the darkness, alone and unloved. But could he be wrong? Is there a glimmer of hope where he thought there would never be one? Inspired completely by Peter Pan. Zutara


**A/N: Before anyone says anything, this was written for a Zutara contest in which you had to rewrite a movie scene Zutara style. I chose Peter Pan and so any similarities are MEANT TO BE THERE.**

**Whew! Well here it is, my first proper, if short, Zutara fanfic. Based COMPLETELY off of Peter Pan, but made to fit the ATLA world. Azula as Captain Hook? HELL YES!**

Disclaimer: If I owned ATLA, Kataang would only exist to add comedy to the show.

_It's Just a Necklace_

"She doesn't _care_ about you. She's _forgotten_ all about you."

"No!"

Zuko spun on his foot, jabbing a fist in the direction from which the voice had come. A flame soared forth from a spot just inches away from his fist in the direction of a dark shadow. The shadow jumped out of the way, releasing a mad cackle as it went.

"Oh Zuzu. Stop denying it. What would _any_ woman want to do with a banished failure like _you_? You know, she didn't speak a single word about you when I talked to her. It was quite precious."

Short flashes of light illuminated his enemy's- his _sister's_- face. She looked positively insane, her hair whipping in the wind, veins bulging in her temples. Zuko had not expected their confrontation to end up like this. Not this… high, in any case.

"Would you look at the view, Zuzu?" Azula was shaking with adrenaline and excitement. "Isn't it amazing? And there's the precious waterbending _peasant_. Doesn't look so good with all those soldiers twisting her arm now, does she?"

Zuko gave a wild cry and pulled his sword out. It was true… Katara probably didn't think of him any more than an unlikely ally. How could she ever even begin to feel anything for the man who had put her through so much pain? No, it was just him. In this world full of anger, there was no one who could love him.

… he was alone.

Sluggishly, he swung the blade around but wasn't the least bit surprised when all it met was the solidity of wood. It didn't even shock him to feel a blow on his left thigh, a blow so hard that it swept him off his feet and sent him tumbling down. Lower and lower… from the roof of the Fire Nation's palace to the courtyard below.

The ground rushed up to meet him and he closed his eyes, unsure whether it was the acceptance of defeat which made him do so. The vertigo closed in on his stomach…

And then there was a splash and a lot of pain. But pain meant that he was alive and that couldn't be right. He must have fallen from a height far above the survival level. How did—

Something gripped him by the scruff of his jacket and pulled him up roughly, coughing and spluttering and completely wet. Before Zuko could even begin to understand what had happened, he was thrown to the ground with enough force to put a crack in one of his ribs. He groaned and turned around to face the sky.

Azula stood over him, her grinning features glowing madly in the light of flames, flames which danced upon her own outstretched palm and did not look warm or friendly at all. She reached down and pulled him up by the scruff of his jacket and held his face close to hers so that he could hear her ragged breathing.

"_You'll die… alone. And unloved._" She whispered harshly, sending goosebumps down his spine. "_Just like me._"

Then she flung him down hard enough to make just about every injury hurt anew and he barely stopped himself from screaming out. He couldn't do that now.

Because what he noticed before anything else when he took in his surroundings was Katara's face and the twisted expression of pain gracing it. A guard was holding her by her throat, but at least it didn't look like they were hurting her anymore. A tear streaked down her dark cheek and splashed to the ground near him.

Zuko smiled. It was a sad, barely visible and almost apologetic smile. And he knew she'd seen it because her panicked eyes did not leave his face for one moment.

… And then there was Azula, her arm moving towards him, flame in hand. It came closer and his sister's face twisted into one of absolute delight.

… Then there was a yell from somewhere else, but it felt so far away.

… And then…

Then came Katara, her expression set in determination. He saw her grab Azula's hand. He saw his own sister growl and throw the waterbender unceremoniously down to the ground next to him and stand back.

"Silence all!" she yelled, her anger suddenly disappearing. "For the peasant's _farewell_."

Azula grinned maliciously and for a moment he knew that her insanity was not just an illusion. It didn't make him feel any better.

He avoided Katara's eyes. He could feel her turning to face him, sidling up closer, but he knew what her words would be.

… _Sorry I can't return your feelings. _

… _I love Aang, not you and I though you knew that by now._

… _Why would you even consider?—_

"Zuko," she whispered into his ear. He was tempted to turn but persisted. If he was going to die now, then he wouldn't hurt himself anymore by glancing at her face.

"I don't know where I'll go after this ends." She continued. "But… this is yours."

He felt her arm sneaking over his neck and sneaked a glance, only to see her hand get snatched up by a not-too-amused Azula. She pulled Katara up by her arm and glared at the waterbender's clenched fist.

"It's just a necklace." Katara said pleadingly. Azula gave a curt chuckle.

"How _foreign_." She looked around at the laughing guards. "Very well then, peasant. Give him your precious _necklace_." She said, mockingly changing her voice into that of pity.

She let go of her hold on Katara and watched in amusement as the girl turned around to face the banished prince.

He was looking at her this time. Shocked, curious, but unwilling to show it. Something in her gaze felt so… soft and sad. It was the kind of expression that made her seem incredibly fragile for once.

She knelt down next to him and lowered her own face right next to his. They were almost touching and he could feel something close to tears welling up in his eyes.

"This belongs to you." She whispered. "And always will."

He waited for her to slip something into his hand, but instead she lifted her head so that her face was right in front of his.

Then she kissed him.

It wasn't a passionate kiss or anything with longing. It was a simple contact between their lips and lasted just long enough for him to understand what was happening. Just long enough.

Then she was pulled away by Azula. And now he could see her smiling through the tears in her eyes. And then he realized that he was smiling too, and that he felt very warm inside. Very very warm indeed.

Actually, there seemed to be a certain beat that his heart was playing and it felt like a pump, filling him up with power. And now he could see Azula's grin changing into an expression of fear. And in that moment he knew that he could beat her.

He knew he wasn't alone anymore.

**THE END**


End file.
